


U is for Ugly

by Rinkafic



Series: Jux 'verse [1]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: M/M, Stargate Atlantis AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-03
Updated: 2012-04-03
Packaged: 2017-11-03 00:20:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/374975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rinkafic/pseuds/Rinkafic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Scientist Lorne and Major Parrish, early relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	U is for Ugly

**Author's Note:**

  * For [camshaft22](https://archiveofourown.org/users/camshaft22/gifts).



When he stepped through the Gate to Atlantis, Doctor Evan Lorne was as awestruck as the rest of the expedition. He had gawked and stared at the place that was to be their new home for the foreseeable future.

He had fallen into his old habits, keeping apart and throwing himself into his work. He loved working the soil, enjoyed coaxing new seedlings and alien transplants into blooming. The greenhouse was both his refuge and his delight. For the first time in many years, Evan was happy.

Then he was asked by Major Parrish to join AG-3 on a follow-up mission to investigate new possible food sources. Dragged practically kicking and screaming from the greenhouse, he was strapped into a TAC vest and nudged up the ramp of a puddlejumper behind Sergeant Stackhouse. Eventually, he was pleased with the outing, as there were many new plant babies to take back and propagate, but he was stubbornly irritated at the interruption in his day.

Parrish hovered over him like a bug, never more than a few steps away, his hands always on his weapon as he watched Evan work. It made Evan a little nervous at first. He was not accustomed to being watched so intently. He was used to people looking, but most took in the scars on his face and then quickly looked away again. Little kids use to stare back on Earth. Evan had taken to wearing cowboy hats and baseball caps to drag down low over his brow to hide and shadow the worst of the scars when he went out in public. The hat he had on now was an SGC issued cap, gifted to Evan by Colonel Mitchell after Evan had helped identify a plant that had cured SG-1 of a sickness the team had contracted.

Several hours after arriving, Lorne carried the last sample tray into the back of the ‘jumper and carefully stacked it with the others. Markham grinned at him from the pilot’s seat. “Last one, right? We ready to go Doc?”

“I think so,” Lorne replied.

At the answer, Stackhouse gave a yip and ran forward to throw himself into the co-pilot’s seat. Major Parrish shook his head at the antics and glanced around outside the jumper before slapping a hand over the ramp closure. Evan took a seat on a bench and the Major sat across from him, cradling his very big gun on his lap. The gun made Evan nervous, he didn’t like guns.

Parrish ducked his head, trying to look up under the brim of Evan’s hat. “Hey Doc, if you don’t mind my asking, what happened?” Parrish stroked two fingers along his own cheek in the spot where Evan’s scars started.

“I do, actually,” the botanist replied tersely and looked away. A minute later, he looked back at Parrish and pushed up the edge of the hat, revealing a little more of the damaged skin on his cheek as he snapped, “Look your fill at the ugly, go ahead and get it over with.”

Parrish held up both hands in front of him. “Hey, hey, Doc, take it easy. I didn’t mean to offend, I was just curious. Forget I asked.”

They both fell silent as Markham took the jumper up into space and entered a course for the Space Gate. Evan began to feel uncomfortable. Parrish had been watching him all day, but he hadn’t really been annoyed by it after a while, nor had he felt this uncomfortable by the scrutiny until now. He sighed. It seemed he’d probably put his foot in it again. Sam Carter told him he was too sensitive and had tried to hammer into his head over and over that the military of the SGC were all fair more tolerant and understanding than other branches.

“Major, I apologize for my rudeness,” Lorne said quietly.

“I was the rude one Doc. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“Gunshot wound. I got between a guy and my neighbor at the corner grocery during a holdup. The doctors weren’t certain they could save the eye. I had four surgeries trying to clean up the damage.”

Letting out a low whistle, Parrish leaned forward. “You’re lucky to be alive.”

“I know. Sometimes I forget that. It’s hard to remember when I’m looking at this disgusting mess in the mirror every morning.” He waved a hand at his scars.

Parrish clucked his tongue and glanced forward towards the pilot’s compartment, where Stackhouse and Markham were arguing about something. He scooted across the cabin to sit beside Lorne. “It isn’t that bad, Doc.”

“I’m gruesome. My boyfriend took one look at me when the bandages came off and left the room. I got a note, a check for the next month’s rent and his key delivered to me in the hospital.”

“You got ‘Dear John’d’ in the hospital? His loss, Doc, to be so superficial.”

“I used to be handsome,” Lorne muttered and stared down at his lap.

The hat was removed from Evan’s head and Parrish leaned close to examine the scars on his forehead and around his left eye that had not been corrected by plastic surgery. He made a ‘hurumph” noise and leaned back, bouncing the hand holding the hat with his knee. “You’re still handsome, Doctor Lorne. Your boyfriend was not only stupid, but blind.”

Lorne grabbed for the hat, blushing as Parrish continued to stare. “Give it!”

“In a minute. You don’t need to keep wearing it, you know.”

“I’m not ready to give it up, not yet. Please, give it back, Major Parrish,” Evan rasped, feeling his gut clench; he felt so exposed.

Carefully, gently, Parrish put the cap back in place and tugged the brim down again. “For now. But we’re gonna need to work on this, Lorne. I can’t have anyone on my team hiding their face all the time.”

“Your team?”

“Yup. I’ve requested that you be officially added to AG-3, you’re going to be our scientist from now on.

Evan felt a momentary panic. Part of a team? More missions away from the greenhouse? “I… I don’t know if I can do that, Major.”

“Sure you can, today was a test run, you did exactly what we needed done out there. I just have to hand in my assessment with the mission report and you’ll be official.”

“Do I have a choice?”

Parrish sighed. “I suppose if you begged to be let out of it. Or got a psych eval that said you were unfit for Gate duty. Or if you really hate the boys and me.”

“No, no. It isn’t that. I’m just… I don’t know if I’m ready.”

Parrish slapped a hand on Lorne’s knee. “We’ll get you ready Doc. Don’t worry, we’ll get you ready.”

 

The Not End


End file.
